Multidisciplinary Visual Artist

Leaf Print Art with Kids

Decorate your living space with original art created in collaboration with your kiddo(s)! Never underestimate the creativity of children. Little people create beautiful, frame worthy, works of art! The above work of art was created in collaboration with a talented, seven year old.

Participating in art-making activities with your children is a great way to connect with them, encourage curiosity and creativity, as well as build confidence in their abilities.

There is no right or wrong way to make art. This is something you should be sure to reiterate to them.

Leaf Prints are an easy, fun, and inexpensive art activity that parents can do with their children. A Leaf Print is a relief printing method that is similar to stamping. The print is created by painting the raised surface of the leaf’s veins, and then pressing that side of the leaf onto a sheet of paper.

Here’s what you’ll need to create your own:

1. Real leaves of various shapes, sizes, and patterns.

5. A plastic container for water

6. Paper towels for wiping your brushes

7. Newspaper for protecting your table or the surface you will be creating on

Check out the time-lapse video of us working on this piece

Tips to consider:

1. Choose leaves that won’t crumble.

2. Apply thin layers of paint to the leaves. Using thick layers of paint won’t allow the veins to print onto the paper.

3. The paper I recommended above is 9×12 inches in size, which isn’t an easy to find frame size. However, Michaels does sell this frame size. If you can’t find it in the store, they are available on the Michaels website.

4. Another option for framing your piece would be to trim the blank paper down to 8×10 inches before creating the artwork. This would allow you to purchase an 8×10 inch frame OR an 8×10 inch window matte. To trim, make light trim marks with a pencil using a ruler for measurement, and either cut with a paper trimmer, scissors, or an XActo knife.

If you have any questions, feel free to submit a comment below. Also, I would love to see you and your child’s masterpiece! Post your finished piece on Instagram or Facebook and tag @KrystleCeasar in the post. I will share your beautiful art on my page.